Day 20 - Grosmont to Robin Hood's Bay

Today's walk began with what the guide book described as 'a calf-popping climb up to Sleights Moor, part of it intriguingly named Eskdaleside Cum Ugglebarnby' (could become a good nick-name for Uncle Jona)!  We climbed for 2.2 kms with a 33% gradient.  The old Irish proverb was ringing in our ears - May the road rise up to meet you and the wind be always at your back...  It certainly rose to meet us, and meet us and meet us!  We thought it would never stop rising.      

The white dot in the distance is Allan nearing the top of the hill    

The view from the top was worth the hard work and the killingly aching calf muscles   

This moor was a bit muddy

- now that's an understatement.  This is what it means to be stuck in the mud. These poles aren't ours and they ain't goin' nowhere..

Littlebeck was our next goal. A steep descent brings us to a bend in the road, rounding it  reveals the lovely, secluded  hamlet of Littlebeck.  Such a pretty setting for this isolated settlement  in the valley amongst the trees.

As   we entered into Littlebeck  we were confronted with a flooded ford which we chose not to cross. It wasn't the  depth of the water  that worried us so much as the speed  of it.   I guess this could be an ongoing issue for the locals.  Fortunately we found a footbridge.  .

Once we left the village, we came into Little Beck Wood, 65 acres of  woodland filled with muddy paths - but a very beautiful place to walk.

In the middle of the woods we found  a mysterious cave called Hermitage Cave, where we sang a hearty rendition of 'Psalm 100',  the acoustics were great, even if our singing wasn't too tuneful.

The man of steel nearly caved in but rose again to soldier on  

We came across a money tree 

Yep, that's coins poking out of the tree. Curious!! 

Had morning tea at the Falling Foss  Tea Garden, which sits beside  a 20m-high waterfall (Falling Foss)  which was thundering, perhaps because of all the rain the night before.

 We walked along May Beck until we came out of the wood.

We were glad to leave Little Beck Wood    

Another two moors awaited us.  Our maps described them as 'boggy', once  again an understatement! For nearly two hours  we  tried hard to avoid wet feet and getting lost and eventually saw our first sign post for Robin Hood's Bay - our final destination.

But we weren't there yet - there was still 3 1/2 miles to walk.  Doesn't sound like a long walk but when you have walked over 300 kilometres your feet are screaming 'Get off me!'  It seemed  that the motherland wasn't going to let us conquer her without a fight.  

And there it was, the North Sea and the cliffs of the coast.  But where was Robin Hood's Bay?  Nearly there! 

It didn't appear until the very last bend.  

But what a beautiful sight.  Robin Hood's Bay and Evan's Head - a more pretty setting I can't imagine

Yet still the journey wasn't over.  We had to walk right past Streonshalh,  our accommodation, and down the hill to the North Sea to dip our boots into the water and throw our stone into the North Sea.

The victory salute!

Tossing the precious stones we had carried all the way from the Irish Sea into the North Sea

A shared joy is a greater joy

Veni Vidi Vici!

And the final duty - signing the Register for  those who have completed the Coast to Coast walk.  This is a tough last day, Allan's foot is killing him but we made it, every step...

This journey has been one of the great delights of our lives. And sharing it with Graham and Ammie   made it a greater joy. Thanks for all your encouragement, your friendship and your patience.  We couldn't have done it without you.